Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-04
PROHIBITION ADDRESS.
address OF The Prohibition Executive
Committse-Tho State Campaign
Reviewed
a Circular Lctt,r Prepared by the su' d
Committee Recently Appointed at
the Waco Gathering,
tn. P:ohi0lti5nists Of Texas;

tliC eSslG.
By special resolutions certain instruc-
lions we're imposed on Us which are
herein faithfully observed.
As 8 matter CT history we recite, first
OF alI, the following facts
For more than thirty years the pro-
prietY Of prohibiting the liquor traffic
for beverage purposes, mas been agiteted
in Texas.
By the constitutional convention OF
1875, prohibition by locai option was in
Corporated in ouc organic law. Owing
largely 10 faulty legislation, this precinct
aud county prohibition, wherever
adopted, has been more or less in
effective.
By ORR last Legislature, and upon the
Of Governor ROSS, there
Was submitted 10 q vote of the people Of
the whole state, 8D amendment to the
constitution restricting the liquor traffic
10 both manufacture and sale to medical,
mechanical, scientific and sacramento
purposes. At this time there were three
political parties in the state. The Demo
cratic party, with Gn unbroken prestige OF
victory fer many years, had ma 0rtty over
aiI competitors Of q least l55, 900. Tie
Republican party, aggreGatirg in national
elections nearly 100000, was composed
mainly, not exclusively, Of Germans and
negroes. TIE third party, Prohibition
lists, recently organized, numbered less
than -, 600 IN the state.
The t1Ird party, according 10 the state
nent Of its standard bearer, was organ
IL & because successive Democratic Leg.
isI.tures had refused, upon proper petit
ten, 10 submit. the question Of proGl3i.
ton to ! vote Of the people q 4 non-psr-
tisan election.
TIE Democratic Legislature, which
finally submitted toe amendment 70 8 vote
OK the people, evidently desired the eiec-
tiCn 10 be non partisan. They separated
It from al. Others, placing ii a. q tine
when no Offices were involved. As an
earnes st Of their good fsith large mum
Der Of them s5gret protest against al
effort 10 dr2g the Democratic party irtC
the CANVASS.
The three political parties, so far s.
any cticial action goes, accepted the
issue il iris form. Their several state
executive committees positively refused
to issue ? call, or blow trumpet. None
Of them had d tag or q commission
III the field. No part OF thel
distinct political machinery YVES en-
ployed. Whoever during the canvass
shouted the slogan OF any one of these
political organizations was 2 traitor &c
his party. He was g msn uusent ana M
au' horiz5d. By the laws e war % :hl
land he merited tie fate Of f4Gless
guerilla. on the high seas his craft
would have sunk as pirate.
Tcat spirit OF rebellion which Ie8ds
one to speak without authority for en- OF
gaaization committing it to policy
where it hiss been silent, wild prompt him.
under adequate tenn 5tati0n, TO spe&i
against its direct voice,
Such being the conditions under which
tie amendment was submitted, the Pro
hibii01ists cane together in convention
pursuant TO 8 strictly nCn-Partissn ca.l
and by every emphasis possible TO tbe
language Of honorable men, dlsGyOWeC
warfare On any existing political party
and any purpose whatever 10 form neW
one.
Trey entered the campaign and pr0se
cUted i u2to the end as citizens Of Texas
irrespective OF race, political affiliations
CT church relations.
Democrat, Republican, third pGrty Pro
hibitiopist, white man and negro, native
American and German, Christian and III
Fl tel, preacher and lsymGn, all occupied g
piece on the central committee, but none
because OF these distinctions or relatious
The only tests were efficiency a1d cid-
zeDship. In the history CT the world
there has never been more honest can
Vass than they made.
No appeal wss ever made to any class
or organization, as such, whether moral
religious or otherwise.
No temptation and no prOvoCatior
caused them 10 sWerve one hair's breadtl
from this policy, Manfully, courageous
ly and herOically they fought their battle
out on this line against the most dreadful
odds.
They fought their battle and lost it
Their white flag went down n disastrOu:
defeat. Their hopes are buried under ar
overwhelming adverse majority.
In view of this decisive overthrow the
following questions arise:
What is the significance of this 5000
majority? Was our cause wrong, aHC
shall we repent and apologize? Or, thC
cause being right, was our methoC
wrong: WHAT ere we now to do?
TIE thousands who SO Loyalty and Ell.
Enthusiastically followed the white flag
look to their central committee for coun-
sci. In answering these questions WI
should neither consult our. fears nor bt
prompted by the sting OF defeat,
TIE ungenerous taunts OF cur sdyer
saries IN the flash of their victory, no,
their threats Of prescription IL the future
should be allowed to provoke Us into IN
wisdom. Soberly, dispassiOlately anC
sincerely we should address ourselves :,
the issues now before US The highes
ard puTest wisdom that ever iliumine.
this world h2s been learned in the GOG-
Of defaGt. And st such q tima has tit
suhljnes. courage immortalizsd IN his
toy been evinced. What then does this
great aaliproEioition majority signify?
1t ssys, decislyelY, thai the people 0
Texas DO nos now want thst prOpossC
prohibition amendment incorporated il
tae constitution. We made our apes
20 the people. They decided against Us
As good citizens we ought 20 submit
gracefully aud sccept msuiully aud cheer
fully the decision we invoked. In tn
language CT Jefferson: Gan essentia
principle of our government is
abSolute acquiescence in the decisions O
the msj lrity-the vital principle of re
publics, from which there Is no sppea
but to force, the vita! principle and i'm
mediate parent Of despotism."
This msjority signifies even more
which we ought to accept. When Pre-
posed amendment to the constitution ha
been rejected by such majority, it !
neither wise nor just to petition at ono
for it's re-submission to vote Of tn
people. No such question should egitat
our next Legislature. When there is g
| in tim al % ,hlic n.,